Device provided with rollers for the treatment of webs



F. P. ZIMMER Sept. 26, 1961 DEVICE PROVIDED WITH ROLLERS FOR THE TREATMENT OF WEBS 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Oct. 24. 1957 FRANZ PETER ZIMMER INVENTOR Wil -1 ATTORNEYS F. P. ZlMMER Sept. 26, 1961 DEVICE PROVIDED WITH ROLLERS FOR THE TREATMENT OF WEBS Filed Oct. 24. 1957 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 I 'g/IIIIII/ll/IIIIIIIIIIIIII/I 4 FRANZ PETER ZIMME R INVENTOR B ,Xh-fli' Pd ATTORNEYS F. P. ZIMMER Sept. 26, 1961 DEVICE PROVIDED WITH ROLLERS FOR THE TREATMENT OF WEBS Filed Oct. 24. 1957 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 8. m tr FRANZ PETER ZIMMER INVENTOR w 21,146 Pmi ATTORNEY 3,001,390 DEVIQE PRQVWED WITH ROLLERS FGR THE TREATMENT ()F WEBS Franz Peter Zirnmer, Kutstein, Austria, assignor to Zimmers Erbeu KG, Kufstein, Austria, a trading company of Austria Filed Oct. 24, 1957, Ser. No. 692,231 Claims priority, application Austria Nov. 2, F956 9 Claims. (til. 68-258) The present invention relates to a device for treating by means of rollers, Webs of textile, paper or other materials, hereinafter called a web, the rollers having no axle bearings, but having bearing boxes for the rollers which extend over the whole length of the rollers, thus preventing the rollers from sagging.

In such devices as are used, for example, in the textile industry for ensuring an equal distribution of pressure for impregnating, dyeing or printing fluids on webs with or without patterns, or for squeezing out fluid excesses, or for coating textile webs or the like, or coating foils with cover materials, the supporting of the working rollers, which often are of considerable length and relatively small diameter and cooperate directly with the web or sheet cellulose, is accomplished by means of support rollers and-so far as necessarythe latter are further supported by other rollers.

In order to save rollers, there is usually only one support roller used for one working roller. In rollers of great length, to provide a perfect bracing, free from anysagging, of the working rollers with the aid of the support rollers, it is necessary in the usual devices that the support rollers should have a diameter which is sufiicient so that sagging will not occur despite their considerable length. For support rollers of great length, large diameter rollers must be used, which have great weight and are diflicult to handle. The supporting of the support rollers by means of more rollers causesbesides additional expense for the extra rollersother diificulties, such as the bearings for these rollers are present. Besides the fact that all the rollers must necessarily be provided with journals, the fittings of the corresponding journal bearings in the framework represents a considerable expenditure.

Even so, with long rollers a straight line of contact with the goods treated is not always realized in all working phases and for any pressure exerted perpendicularly to said line of contact. As an expedient, the roller superficies have frequently been curved, so that at least to a certain extent as the thus shaped roller will bear on the Web with the desired straight contact line.

The present invention eliminates these disadvantages in that the bearing is supplied by sliding bearing boxes enveloping the rollers with which they are in surface contact along the whole length of said rollers. The result is a precise bearing of simple construction.

Therefore it is particularly advantageous that the sliding bearing boxes should be divided into individual boxes joined together directly, the total length of the members corresponding to the length of the roller. In the case of rollers of considerable length a substantial simplification in the manufacture and in the installation of the sliding bearing boxes results, due to the small length of the individual members.

ass-3st t nt pt- 26, 1961 According to another feature of the present invention the gliding bearing boxes may be provided with a coating of good lubricant, preferably a material having halogencarbon bonds. Material having fluorine-carbon bonds revealed themselves as particularly suitable for such coatings.

It is particularly advantageous, according to another possible feature of the invention, that the sliding bearing boxes may be reinforced along their whole lengthby press paddings, because such press paddings ensure a perfectly uniform pressure distribution on the support. Thus when the rollers are disposed in pairs, the sliding bearing boxes on one side may be supported by hydraulic press paddings, whereas the sliding bearing boxes on the other side may be supported by pneumatic press paddings. The incompressibility of the press padding filled with fluid on one side and the elastic nature of the air-filled .press padding on the other side resultin a completely exact and resilient supporting of the rollers.

The arrangement according to the invention may be executed in such manner that the rollers supported along their whole length in the sliding bearing boxes cooperate directly as working rollers with the web. Thus the working rollers may have a relatively large diameter and their surfaces may be elastic if this is necessary for the pressing of liquid or pasty materials into the treated web.

If the invention is used for applyingfluids .to the treated webs or for squeezing liquids out of them, then besides the advantages already described a supplementary advantage results from the fact that, due to the forming of a fluid film which adheres to the roller surfaces, the sliding bearing boxes are subjected to a continual moistening which reduces the sliding resistance.

While in themethods of applying the invention described hereinabove the rollers supported in the sliding bearing boxes serve as working rollers in contact with the treated web, the invention may also be carried out by the rollers, supported along their whole length in the sliding bearing boxes, being used as support rollers for supplementary working rollers-also without me bearingswhich cooperate with devices securing them against axial shifting which are guaranteed against sagging along their whole length by the support rollers. In this form, the invention is particularly adapted for controlling the fluid content in the treatment of textile webs, in that the Working rollers may have a smaller even an extremely small diameter and a considerable length, as they are running on the support rollers, which compare with the working rollers will havea substantially greater diameter and are running on the sliding bearings, so that the working rollers as well as the support rollers are supported against sagging.

A particularly advantageous and economical embodiment of this method of applying the invention arises from the fact, according to another feature of the invention, that one single working roller and one single support roller are provided on each side of the treated web, and the plane joining the working roller axes is slightly spaced from the plane joining the support roller axes because the linear supports for the working rollers rolling support the work roller axes outside the plane joining the support roller axes.

In this manner there is no need for more than one support roller and. one linear support for each working roller and the working roller position is thereby completely fixed. If the linear supports are moved parallel to the web and the sliding bearing boxes of one pair are displaced laterally, it is possible to make the working rollers interchangeable, so that pairs of rollers with the most suitable diameter can be adapted in any circumstances without special arrangements being necessary.

Several embodiments are illustrated in the drawing, in which- FIG. 1 is a side elevation view, partly in section, of one form of the apparatus according to the invention;

FIG. 2 is a top plan view partly broken away, of the apparatus as shown in FIG. 1, with parts removed for clarity, and with certain parts slightly modified;

FIG. 3 is a sectional side elevation view of a modified form of the apparatus of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a side elevation view, in section, of a further embodiment of the apparatus according to the invention;

FIG. 5 is a side elevation View, in section, of a further embodiment of the apparatus according to the invention;

FIG. 6 is a side elevation view of the embodiment of FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a plan view, partly broken away of the embodiment of FIG. 5, with parts removed for clarity; and

FIG. 8 is a view similar to FIG. 5 of the apparatus according to FIG. 5 with larger working rollers.

The embodiment of FIGURES 1, 2 and 4 shows a frame 29 the casing 16 of which carries the plain journal bearing boxes 2 in which the rollers 1 and 1' rotate in full surface contact. The rollers 1 and 1 have no axle bearings and are true cylinders with closed circular end surfaces. The rollers 1 and 1' are supported along their whole length by the plain journal bearing boxes 2, according to the embodiment shown over half their circumference being supported. The rollers 1 and 1' thus are in full surface contact with the plain journal bearing boxes along their whole length. When an outwardly directed horizontal pressure is exerted, as in the drawing, said pressure is entirely taken up by the plain journal bearing boxes 2 without any deformation of the rollers 1 and 1 being possible. The rollers cannot sag even when they are pressed against one another. The pressure with which the rollers 1 and 1 press against one another in this embodiment is controlled by having the plain journal bearing box 2 fixed in the casing 16, and thus to the frame 29', whereas the second bearing box 21 on the right side of the drawing in the casing 16 can be displaced horizontally along a guide-way 14 and locked on it. Setscrews serving this purpose are shown in the drawing. In this manner it is possible to regulate the pressure of the rollers against one another by screwing the setscrews 15 into or out of the casing 16.

The rollers 1 and 1' act as working rollers directly on a web 10 running between said rollers 1 and 1' in direction of the arrow 19. The web starts from a feeding cylinder 30 the axis 31 of which is mounted on the frame by means of brackets 32. At the upper beam 33 of the frame, brackets 34 are provided for the bearing 35 of a take-up cylinder 36 taking up the web which has run between the rollers. In order to retain the web under a certain constant tension there is shown on the inner surface of roller 30 an inner shoe brake 37 working under a pressure regulated by a spring 38, which is preferably adjustable thus braking the motion of web 10. Web 10 is moved by the roller 36 which is driven by means of a belt 39 running over a pulley 40 rigidly connected to the roller 36 and over the pulley 41 of a motor 42 mounted on the frame.

.A variations of the invention, represented in FIGURE 2, shows how the plain journal bearing boxes 2 may advantageously consist of several parts 2, 2a, 2b, 2c, and 2', 2a, etc. the total length of which corresponds to the length 12 of the rollers 1 and '1'.

In the modification according to FIGURE 3 the web 10, consisting for example of woven textile material, is

5. running between two working rollers 3 which are in addition to the rollers 1. The working rollers 3 are supported transverse to the web 10 on the rollers 1 which act as support rollers for the working rollers 3. They appear in the embodiment shown as having a substantially greater diameter than the working rollers. The working rollers 3 despite their small diameter are prevented from sagging. The support rollers 1 in their turn are likewise prevented from sagging since they have their whole length in the plain journal bearing boxes 2.

In the arrangement illustrated in FIGURE 3 there is a single support roller 1 provided on each side of the web 10. In this case the working rollers 3 must be secured against any displacement in direction of the web 10. This is accomplished in the arrangement shown by means of linear supports 4 disposed on each side of the working rollers 3 and extending parallel to the web 10, whereby the constant pressure of the linear supports 4 against the working rollers 3 may be elfected by means of pressure springs 17. The linear supports 4 are shaped in such manner that in order to avoid friction loss they are only in linear contact with the working rollers 3. For this purpose they are made with plane supporting surfaces in the illustrated embodiment. But said supporting surfaces might also be slightly curved in either the convex or concave directions.

The working rollers 3 as in FIGURE 3 or the rollers 1 acting as working rollers according to FIGURE 1 may serve for example for the equal spreading of fluid materials, for example dyestufi' mixtures, on textile webs, whether directly or indirectly over limited or endless stencils. This may occur directly, .or indirectly over a runner cloth. When the web 10 is moving in the direction indicated by the arrow 19, the dye mixture may be kept in a reservoir positioned below the two working rollers and through which the web 10 passes. By spreading dye mixtures or the like on textile weaves the working rollers, especially if constructed as independent members (FIGURE 3) with extremely small diameters, in addition to the dyeing proceeding by suction through the web, there is also simultaneously initiated an intensive squeezing effect. Consequently the fluid not only is distributed upon the surfaces of the web 10, but under the counterpressure exerted by the working rollers it permeates the interior of the fibrous material of the web 10, whereby however the surplus of dyestufi is immediately squeezed out. In this way, an equal distribution of the dye mixture is realised over the whole width of the web, whereby irregularities created during the original suction of the dye mixtures into the web are completely equalized.

It may be advantageous in special cases to run the web 10 in a direction opposite that of the arrow 19 and to supply the dye mixture in suitably thicker consistency from above to between the working rollers. The working effect remains substantially unchanged.

The device is thus able to be used for dyeing, pressing or squeezing of liquid materials. In general the invention as used in such appliances enables the possibility of regulating the fluid content in the treatment of textile weaves.

According to the purpose for which they are used, the working rollers may be made of soft, hard or semihard material.

In a practical construction and with a roller length of 3 meters, for example, the working rollers may have a 30 millimeter diameter and the support rollers a millimeter diameter.

Neither the rollers 1 nor the rollers 3 are fitted with shafts and journal bearings. From FIGURE 3 can be seen that in the illustrated modification with working rollers 3 and support rollers 1, the rollers between the supporting parts 2 and 4 and'under mutual pressure are freely movable. For the driving of the support roller '1 some mechanical power transmission system, for example by means of a cardan joint, may be used;

ereas in the modifications described in connection with FIGURES l, 2 or 3 the rollers 1 are in direct contact with the material of the plain journal bearing 2, the FIGURES 4 to 8 show improved embodiments. In all these embodiments the plain journal bearing boxes 2 are provided with a coating 13 of sliding or antifriction material, especially of material having a fluorine-carbon compound base.

In order to produce a completely uniform pressure distribution of the working rollers and from these on the web 10, in the embodiment according to FIGURE 4 the plain journal bearing boxes 2 bear against press paddings 5 and 6 in the casing 16 of the device. The plain journal bearing boxes 2 are supported along the whole length of the rollers l and consequently are also prevented from sagging. Hence the plain journal bearing boxes 2 are ablein comparison with the embodiment illustrated in FIGURE l-have a substantially smaller dimension in a direction transverse to the web. In this embodiment, the plain journal bearing boxes rest on rubber tubes 11 which are filled with pressure means. According to FIGURE 4, on the left side of the device a hydraulic supporting cushion 5 is provided. It consists of a rubber tube 11 filled with water and the internal pressure need not exceed the normal pressure. The fill hole 21 passes through the casing 16. On the right side of the device shown in the embodiment there is provided a pneumatic press padding 6. The rubber tube 11 which forms this press padding is connected through the casing 16 of the device with an inflation tube 22 and can be put under pressure when desired.

In a similar way to the embodiment according to FIG- URE 3, there are also in the embodiment of FIGURE 5 independent working rollers 3, for which the rollers 1 act as support rollers. The plain journal bearing boxes 13 and the press paddings 5 and 6 shown in FIGURE 4 also are used in the embodiment according to FIGURE 5. The working rollers 3 rest on linear supports 4 as illustrated in FIGURE 3. Differing from the embodiment of FIGURE 3, in the embodiment according to FIGURE 5 there is provided only one linear support 4 for each working roller 3. This is achieved by a particular disposition of the working roller 3 in relation to the support roller .1. As can be seen from Figure 5, the plane 7 joining the working rollers 3 is slightly spaced from the plane joining the support rollers l by the small distance 9. The working rollers 3 thus tend to roll off the linear supports, the support rollers bearing against them in such a manner that any shifting in the direction of the arrow 19 is impossible. Hence the only remaining requirement is to prevent the working rollers 3 from shifting in a. direction opposite to the arrow 19 and for only one linear support 4 is necessary for each working roller 3, said linear support being fixed directly or indirectly to the casing 16. In the embodiment shown each linear support 4 is fixed by means of a screw 20 to an elbow 26 which is displaceable parallel to the web along a flange 27 of the casing 16 and locatable by means of a wedge bolt 28. When the casing is constructed in two parts capable of being moved apart or together, then the possibility is created, as occasion demands, to fit into the device working rollers 3 the diameter of which may vary to a large degree. Whereas in the example according to FIGURE 5 there are provided working rollers with a very small diameter. FIGURE 8 shows the use of working rollers with a relatively great diameter, the other structural members remaining entirely unchanged. The considerable advantages for the practice which result from the interchangeability of the working rollers will be easily understood. In order to afford the greatest possible distance between the setscrews 2i? and the Web 10, the linear supports are provided in an oblique position in the examples awording to FIGURES 5 and 8.

It can be seen from the side view shown in FIGURE 6 and from the plan view in FIGURE 7 that the shaftless bearing of thesupport rollers 1 can also be achieved for example-in view of power connection for propulsion-by means of journals 23 without the surrounding corresponding bearing shells. The end walls of the casing 16 providing bearing plates 24 are provided with oblong holes 25 into which the journals 23 are introduced with freedom of movement in every direction, the greatest freedom of movement being transverse to the web 10. The driving journals 26 for the support rollers 1 are further to be seen in FIGURE 7.

The embodiments show the supporting action which is the subject of the present invention in a device with a web moving vertically. It may also be applied to webs moving horizontally or obliquely.

The invention should not be limited to the embodiments described and illustrated and it will be understood that the scope of the invention is not limited to such embodiments, or otherwise than by the terms of the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. In an apparatus for treating continuous webs, the combination of a pair of opposed cylindrical rollers, and plain journal bearings engaging a part of the circumferential surface of each of said rollers along the entire length of said rollers, said plain journal bearings supporting said rollers against sagging and urging said rollers toward each other.

2. In an apparatus for treating continuous webs, the combination of a pair of opposed cylindrical rollers, and plain journal bearings engaging a part of the circumferential surface of each of said rollers along the entire length of said rollers, said plain journal bearings supporting said rollers against sagging and urging said rollers toward each other, and said plain journal bearings consisting of a plurality of individual sections abutting each other at joints which extend transversely of the axis of the cylindrical roller supported thereby, which sections together are the same length as said cylindrical rollers.

3. In an apparatus for treating continuous webs, the combination of a pair of opposed cylindrical rollers, and plain journal bearings engaging a part of the circumferential surface of each of said rollers along the entire length of said rollers, said plain journal bearings supporting said rollers against sagging and urging said rollers toward each other, and a coating of anti-friction material having a halogen-carbon base on the bearing surfaces of said plain journal bearings.

4. In an apparatus for treating continuous webs, the combination of a pair of opposed cylindrical rollers, and plain journal bearings engaging a part of the circum ferential surface of each of said rollers along the entire length of said rollers, said plain journal bearings supporting said rollers against sagging and urging said rollers toward each other, and adjusting means bearing on at least one of said plain journal bearings for moving the one bearing and cylindrical roller relative to the other cylindrical roller and bearing.

5. The combination as claimed in claim 4 in which said adjusting means comprise a hydraulic press padding bearing against one of said plain journal bearings and a pneumatic press padding bearing against the other of said journal bearings, and connections in said paddings for inserting and withdrawing fluid therefrom.

6. In an apparatus for treating continuous webs, the combination of a pair of opposed cylindrical working rollers, a pair of support rollers, one of the support rollers bearing on each of said working rollers at a point substantially diametrically opposed to the point at which said working rollers are opposed, and plain journal bearings engaging a part of the circumferential surface of each of said support rollers along the entire length of said rollers, said plain journal bearings supporting said rollers against sagging and urging said rollers toward each other, and linear support members with which said work ing rollers are in sliding contact, said linear support mem- 7 l i 'bers holding said working rollers in position between said support rollers.

7. The combination as claimed in claim 6 in which said linear support members are provided on diametrically opposite sides of each of said working rollers and 5 are spring loaded toward said working rollers.

8. The combination as claimed in claim 6 in which said linear support members are provided on only one side of each of said working rollers.

9. The combination as claimed in claim 6 in which 10 the axes of said working rollers are slightly displaced from the plane containing the axes of said support rollers in a direction toward said linear support members.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

